5 Germans, 3 Egyptians dead in crash near Red Sea resort

TUIfly airline crew was en route to Hurghada airport when their vehicle collided with another

2 December 2012, 6:02 pm

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The aftermath of a two-vehicle accident, which left at least five Germans and three Egyptians dead and others injured on the road between Hurghada and Safaga on the Red Sea coast of Egypt on Sunday. (AP)

CAIRO (AP) — Five Germans and three Egyptians have been killed in a road accident south of the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada, Egypt’s state-run MENA news agency reported Sunday.

The Germans were airline crew members on their way to the Hurghada airport early Sunday, police said. Another German crew member was injured.

The German TUIfly airline said four of its staff were killed and two injured.

“We are stunned and shocked. Our sympathy goes to the relatives of the deceased. We are doing everything to help the two injured colleagues,” TUIfly managing director Dieter Nirschl said in a statement.

MENA said one of the injured crew died in hospital, bringing the number of dead to five.

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The accident happened when the microbus carrying the Germans entered a main road and crashed into a passing tourist microbus. Both Egyptian drivers were killed.

The police official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

Egypt’s roads are considered among the most dangerous in the world due to lax enforcement of traffic laws and inadequate infrastructure. About 16,000 people are killed in road accidents each year.